The International “Water and Film” Events (IWFE), which first appeared on the scene in Mexico in 2006, are a set of activities which, using images, film and other forms of artistic expression, prompt meetings among the general public, people from the world of movies and media and the water sector. For the past five years, the IWFE have proven to be a cross-cutting tool that calls on our imagination, our emotions and our creativity, helping to find ever more appropriate solutions for water management and use.

Indeed, the bottom line is that water is a global common good which should be managed responsibly at local level by all stakeholders and consumers. Access to water is a fundamental human right. Source of life and land planning, its uses are moulded by the hydrographical basin.

Through the IWFE, local and international initiatives can be set up to create opportunities for information, exchange, and awareness raising which enable both film directors and the general public as well as the various water management stakeholders to share their experiences and feel all equally responsible for this precious resource.

Audio-visual supports are therefore one of the tools that can help bring down the barriers between the water sector players and all other stakeholders. It is a way of “democratising water”.